Container



July 7, 1942. c. z. MONROE CONTAINER Filed June 9, i939 I 1 lllilllllL-lllllllll Patented July 7, 1942 CONTAINER Charles Z. Monroe,Detroit, Mich assignor to The American Paper Bottle Company, Toledo,Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 9, 1939, Serial No. 278,3342 Claims. (01. 229-17) This invention relates to paper containers of thetype employed in the packaging, transportation and distribution ofliquids.

The paper container has of recent years become an importantinstrumentality in the distribution of all types of commodities and isnow widely used in the dispensing of liquids such as milk, having beenfound to have many points mentioned patent, the tubular body issurmounted by a folded end closure and a metallic staple is employed asa securing means to prevent possible accidental opening of this endclosure. By reason of the presence of the staple, intended opening ofthe container is rendered more difficult, it being necessary to removethe staple by means of a knife or other instrument before the foldedpanels of the end closure can be unfolded with respect to each other.

In order to facilitate opening of such a container and the discharge ofits contents, it has heretofore been proposed that a pouring opening beformed in the container wall and which is normally closed by means of atab or tabs and sealed with paraffin or like substance so that, in

order to effect discharge of the liquid contents of the container, it isonly necessary to lift the tab or tabs, thus disclosing the pouringopening.

This invention relates more particularly to a container having animproved type of means for facilitating the discharge of its contents.In the manufacture of a blank which is to eventually be folded into theform of a container such as contemplated, one portion thereof is incisedto form an access tab, the edges of the tab being defined by cuts formedin the paper wall of the container except for one edge, which edgeremains uncut and comprises a hinge about which the tab may be swung ordisplaced to disclose an opening. Subsequently to the formation of theblank and the incision which defines the access tab just referred to, apaper sheet, which may be rectangular, is secured to that surface of theblank which is eventually to comprise the inner surface of thecontainer, this paper sheet underlying -the tab defined by the incisionsin the container wall and being adhesively secured to the wall surfacecontinuously around this container tab. Formed centrally in the sheetwhich underlies the outer tab is a second or inner tab of considerablysmaller size than the outerr-tab and hingedly connected to the coveringsheet along one uncut edge, the hinged connection between the inner taband sheet directly underlying the hinged connection between the outertab and the container wall and the two tabs being secured together bymeans of an adhesive so as to be simultaneously movable. The innersurface of the outer or container tab is not otherwise adhesivelysecured to the outer surface of the underlying sheet so that the outertab, and hence both tabs, may be readily lifted.

By the construction just described, a. very satisfactory closure isrealized. The aperture in the attached sheet is normally closed by theinner tab, may be shaped as desired, and may be, within limits, of anyselected area to secure the best results in the pouring of liquids. Theouter tab which comprises portion of the container wall protects theedges of. the pouring opening in the attached sheet and prevents theseedges from becoming contaminated. The blank may be fabricated at butslight cost and the container ultimately fabricated therefrom isattractive in appearance, sanitary, and may be readily opened withoutthe use of tools. In the event that its contents are only partiallydischarged at any one time, the pouring opening may be closed. bydownwardly pressing the access tabs into their original positions.

In the drawing one form of the invention is illustrated by way ofexample.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows in plan one of the novel blanks from which a containermay be formed;

Figure 2 shows in perspective the completed container, closed andsealed;

Figure 3 is a similar view of the container but showing both the innerand outer tabs lifted to disclose the discharge opening; I

Figure 4 is a plan view of the attachment sheet, to be secured to theblank; and

Figure 5 is a view of portion of the inner surface of the blank showingthe attachment sheet secured thereto.

The blank l0 itself need not be described in.

detail and it may be stated that it is preferably formed from a web ofpaper by a stamping and scoring tool by means of which its margins aresevered from the blank and it is divided by scorings, such as indicatedat ll, into a plurality of relatively foldable panels. During the blankforming operation a portion thereof is cut .or incised along theparallel lines 12 and the curved connecting line 13 to form the tab M,this tab remaining connected to the body of the blank by an uncutportion at its upper edge, which portion comprises the hinge about whichthe blank may be lifted. The tab is not defined by continuously incisedlines I2 and E3, the lines 82 preferably comprising a series of shortaligned incisions separated by narrow necks or webs of paper by means ofwhich the tab is normally retained in position. The lower edge of thetab may be more completely separated from the body of the containeralong the line l3, if desired, in

,order that the tearing operation may be more readily started at thispoint. The exact form and arrangement of the incisions, however, may bevaried to suit particular circumstances and it is only necessary thatthe outer tab id be of relatively large size and be so formed that itmay be readily lifted from the position in which it is shown in Figure 2to the position in which it is shown in Figure 3.

The attachment sheet i is rectangular and before being applied to theblank Hi, the tab it is formed by cutting or incising the sheet alongthe lines ii and 18. This tab is of smaller size than the tab 5 5, as isapparent. By means of shading in Figures 4 and 5, the extent to whichthe surface of the sheet i5 is coated with an adhesive is indicated.After the application of such a coating, the sheet is applied to theblank Ml so as to underlie tab M, as indicated in Figure 1, the marginsof the attached sheet iii being continuously attached tothe surface ofthe blank it around the tab M and the surface of tab it being adhesivelyattached to the unclersurface of tab it, as aforesaid. When this hasbeen done, the marginal flap 29 of blank id is adhesively secured to theopposite margin of the blank, the blank being thus made tubular.Preferably by means of automatically acting mechanism, the blank issquared out, its bottom is closed and sealed, it is given a coating,both inside and outside, with paraflin or like leakproofing substance,is charged with liquid, closed at the top, sealed and stapled. Aconsumer may readily open it by lifting the tab M, tearing the marginsof this tab loose from the body of the container and breaking theparaflin seal, the paraflin having penetrated and filled all of theincisions made in the formation of both the inner and outer tabs andeffectively sealed these incisions. Lifting of the tabs, of course,discloses the pouring aperture and the contents of the container may bereadily discharged.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A container comprising a paper sheet divided by scorings into panels,the panels being disposed and secured in angular relationship to eachother in such manner that the container is liquidtight andself-supporting, a portion of the container wall being incised to definean access tab permanently connected to the wall along an uncut portionwhich comprises a hinge about which the tab may be lifted, a separatelyformed paper sheet within the container and underlying said access tab,said sheet being of substantially greater area than said tab and themargin thereof being adhesively secured to the inner surface of thecontainer continuously around the access tab, said sheet also beingincised to define an access tab hingedly connected thereto along oneuncut edge, said last mentioned or inner tab being substantially smallerthan the first mentioned or outer tab, and secured to said outer tab byan adhesive so as to be lifted when the outer tab is lifted, the outertab being otherwise unattached to said sheet.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the outer tab isdefined by a discontinuous incision and the inner tab by a continuousincision, whereby both tabs are retained in the said openingsrespectively until the outer tab incision is made continuous by tearing.

CHARLES Z. MONROE.

